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Climber rescued after falling on Mt. Hood

High winds hindered efforts to airlift the 35-year-old Portlander to safety on Saturday, May 26.

A man who fell hundreds of feet while skiing on Mt. Hood has been rescued, police say.

The Oregon Army National Guard evacuated the patient — described as a 35-year-old man from Portland — on Saturday, May 26, according to a news release from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies say the climber fell in an area near Hogsback Ridge and the Hot Rocks around 10:07 a.m., spurring into action a team of volunteers with Portland Mountain Rescue, who found the man at about 11:10 a.m.

Helicopter medics with the National Guard made three passes over the summit — at 2:35, 4:10 and 6:10 p.m. — but were batted back each time by high winds that police described as "extremely dangerous." The helicopter refueled after its second rescue attempt, and after the third attempt failed rescuers decided to carry the patient to lower ground.

"The area can be very treacherous which makes it difficult for rescue attempts and we are being told there are high winds which are hampering rescue efforts," a Sheriff's spokesman wrote, later specifying that wind speeds clocked in at 30 to 50 knots.

The patient, whose identity has not yet been released, was evacuated by helicopter from the Timberline Lodge parking lot around 7:45 p.m. and taken to a local hospital.